New York Knicks Role Players Worth Keeping Beyond 2014-15

The New York Knicks are in the midst of what many consider to be a lost season, but it doesn't have to be that way. Despite not being suited to featured roles, many of the younger players on the roster are using the extra playing time to prove that they may be worth keeping around beyond 2014-15.

Phil Jackson will have a lot of money to spend this coming offseason, but that doesn't mean a hefty sum can be spent on every single roster spot. Value signings will still be important, and a lot of them could already be on the roster.

Bringing back a few of the more impressive players from this year's team will be helpful on a few levels. Playing a smaller role should bring out the most in a lot of them, and having some consistency in the roster will help with chemistry, even it will be more concentrated in the second unit.

New York will want to make upgrades everywhere it can, but in a sense, dropping certain players down in the depth chart is an upgrade in itself, and will allow the cap space to be focused where it matters most.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

USA TODAY Sports

Given that he's the best young player on the team and has two years left on his rookie contract, it seems fairly obvious Tim Hardaway Jr. will be around for the foreseeable future.

With the trade deadline coming up, however, there is a chance Hardaway will be made available for another potential salary dump. If the Knicks want to get rid of the $15.1 million they owe Jose Calderon over the next two years, a young asset would have to be added to sweeten the deal.

Though the extra cap space would make a difference to the Knicks, it isn't a necessity. They will already have plenty to spend over the summer, and despite being disappointing this season, it's not like Calderon and Hardaway aren't going to contribute moving forward if they stay on the roster. The stretch provision can also be used on Calderon to save roughly $3.4 million if that's what Jackson wants.

Hardaway in particular is talented enough that New York shouldn't pursue this move. They're already short of young talent, and getting rid of him now would also create a major need at shooting guard, where they had a logjam just a few months ago. 

Admittedly, Hardaway has been far from perfect in 2014-15. His defense is limited at best, and offensively he still struggles to be consistent and efficient. He does, however, have undeniable talent as a shooter and will be a better fit once pieces are added elsewhere, as his skill set is much more suited to being a complementary player than a focal point.

Expectations need to be tempered for Hardaway—it's unlikely they have a future star on their hands here. What they do have is a solid shooter, whose speed and athleticism should help him to develop into more than just a one-trick pony with the right coaching.

Cleanthony Early

USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to think the Knicks would part ways with Cleanthony Early so soon in his NBA career, but second-round picks don't always have much staying power. As his contract suggests, nothing beyond this season is guaranteed.

Early hasn't really had a chance to prove himself in 2014-15, struggling to find playing time due to injury and the crowded wing positions before Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith were traded in January. He has clocked only 220 minutes, putting him behind everyone on the roster besides Andrea Bargnani.

The little we have seen from Early has been positive. He shoots the three well, contributes on defense and is particularly athletic, even if he currently lacks the frame to be as effective inside as he was in college.

Recently, Early was assigned to the D-League, and though he's now back on the NBA roster, his three appearances showed what he can do with consistent playing time. He put up 21 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals a night for the Westchester Knicks, shooting an efficient 46 percent from the field.

Ideally, the Knicks will get to see more of Early the rest of the way, but for an asking price of under $1 million it makes sense to bring him back and continue developing him.

Langston Galloway

Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

In the space of just over a month, Langston Galloway has emerged from the D-League to become one of the Knicks' best players, earning a contract for the rest of the season (and unguaranteed money for 2015-16).

Barring an extreme drop in form, Galloway will be back next season, and rightly so. For the minimum, the Knicks have themselves a decent backup combo guard at the very least, and we've already seen flashes of his high ceiling so far.

Obviously, you don't want to get too carried away—Galloway is not an elite prospect by any means—but to come into the league and immediately put up a solid 30.5 minutes a night is very impressive.

Galloway has not been the most efficient player, shooting 38 percent from the field with a 13.0 PER, but that can be attributed to him being forced into a leading role so early in his career. Like Hardaway, he will be at his best in a slightly more restrained role.

The most impressive thing about Galloway is that he already has a well-rounded game. He can shoot, create, rebound and defend well, which is surprising for a player just coming out of the D-League. His confidence and willingness to step up in the clutch is also fairly unprecedented, drawing comparisons to Jeremy Lin's Linsanity back in 2012.

Ultimately, filling a need on the bench for less than $1 million with clear upside is a no-brainer. Keeping Galloway will help allow the cap space to be focused primarily on improving the starting five.

Cole Aldrich

USA TODAY Sports

Cole Aldrich is an unrestricted free agent in 2015, but the Knicks shouldn't hesitate to bring him back for the minimum at some point to play a role off the bench. NBA teams tend to pay a premium for centers, including backups, and having Aldrich has proven to be one of the best value contracts on the team.

Though he struggled to find minutes early on, Aldrich has bounced back in recent months to pick up where he left off in 2013-14—continuing to be the best rebounder on the team and holding his own in other areas. He averages 11.4 boards per 36 minutes, along with 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals.

Offensively, despite not being the most talented player, Aldrich is efficient, finding good looks around the rim. He also appears to have a grasp of the triangle, as his bulky frame, passing ability and confidence with his back to the basket make him a good fit.

Aldrich has real potential, especially in this system, and it's easy to tell why he was taken in the lottery in 2010, even though he has yet to live up to that billing. In truth, it's unlikely he'll develop into a core player at this point, but he could become good enough to be one of the first off the bench for a playoff team. 

Quincy Acy

USA TODAY Sports

Though he may not be the most immediately attractive prospect, the Knicks could do a lot worse than keeping Quincy Acy around for 10-20 minutes a night next season.

Acy is known for his aggressive, physical style of play, which has helped make him one of the few effective players the Knicks have on the defensive end.

On top of that, Acy is quietly a solid three-point shooter, hitting 39 percent of his attempts beyond the arc this season, although he needs to be assertive in that regard. Elsewhere on offense, he is able to afford himself a few efficient looks inside, although that isn't a major strong point.

Teams need players like Acy to provide energy off the bench, and this will be particularly evident when New York has more to play for and better players being the focus of the opposition. The upside he's shown so far is a bonus, especially at the price of his $1.2 million qualifying offer for 2015. 

Pablo Prigioni

Jim Mone/Associated Press

At this late point in his career, Pablo Prigioni doesn't provide much by way of potential, but his experience is, and will continue to be, invaluable to the Knicks as they rebuild and fill the team with young players.

Ideally, Prigioni will get a shot at competing for a title before retiring, and there is a sense of his last playing years being wasted on a team like the Knicks. They will surely be much more competitive next season, however, which will provide a bit more of a give and take to his relationship with the franchise (we have to remember he was on the verge of returning to Spain in 2013 before re-upping with the Knicks for only a portion of the mini mid-level).

According to the NY Post, Prigioni is currently on the trading block heading into the deadline, but unless multiple second round picks are on offer, New York shouldn't follow through with a deal.

Even though it hasn't resulted in many wins, the Knicks often look more comfortable with Prigioni on the court, while his slow style of play and shooting ability make him a nice fit in the triangle. If the Knicks do decide to bring back some of their younger players for bench roles next season, having Prigioni there to lead them and run the system would be a perfect fit.

Prigioni is producing at essentially the same level he has been for his first two years in the NBA, so age-related regression isn't an immediate concern. Bringing him back at $1.7 million makes him the most expensive of the players on this list, but it is worth it even if Jackson will be hesitant to cut that out of his free-agent spending.